[PeterPrinciple]

If you have time and are interested in history and military history, read this web ring.

This guy was there and experienced WW2 and the Korean war and gives good background and very interesting personal observations intermixed with chronological history.

We may not like all we read here, may find somethings titillating, but as conservatives we should be open to other ideas, thoughts and experiences.

[PeterPrinciple]

Once at the web site select:

Eyewitness: A N Korean Remembers - memoirs of a teen-age N Korean student volunteer in the US intelligence services.

[PeterPrinciple]

Aug. 10, 1945 - During the night of the 10th and early hours of the 11th, Col. Charles H. Bonesteel (Chief of the Policy Section, US Army Operations Division) and Lt. Col. Dean Rusk (later to become assistant secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs 1947-1960; Secretary of State 1961-1969 - the main architect of the Vietnam War) formulated General Order No. 1.

James Bymes (US Secretary of State in 1945) instructed the young colonels to draw up a line "as far north as possible". The colonels were unable to find a detail map of Korea and ended up using a small wall map of the Far East. Lt. Col. Rusk's fingers found the 38th parallel on the tiny map.

Thus, the fate of the Korean people was determined by a young desk-bound junior officer. To the surprise of the US military, Stalin accepted the 38th parallel. Stalin ordered all Russian units already in S Korea to turn around and pull back north of the 38th.

From the chapter on Japan Defeated. Can anyone back this up as true?

[PeterPrinciple]

The Chinese prisoners are not afraid of the Americans - having been treated fairly by the Americans - Yankee cigarettes, canned beef, chocolate bars, medical attention, etc. - far better than what they were getting from their own army. Their uniform is more or less of home-made variety. heavily quilted against the Korean winter. The Chinese have no military ranks and hence, their uniform has no place for any fancy stuff that the N Koreans have. Leaders are identified by their uniform which is identical to that of a soldier except it has an extra pocket.

Another sign of an officer is a side arm. They wear no dog tags, instead they have their name and unit inscribed inside of their jacket. Under the quilt, they were whatever clothing they own. Since they own only one set of clothing, the sanitary situation of the Chinese army is not good. The Chinese bathe only twice in their entire life - upon exiting from the womb and upon death.

The Americans douse the poor Chinese with DDT to rid the noxious lice. One of the best things the Americans brought to Hamhung is their DDT. Ever since my childhood, I have been waging a losing battle with lice - head lice, arm-pit lice, foot lice. Every day, I used to spend at least one hour on my battle with lice - you catch them and squash them by the hundreds, but they keep on coming back. The American DDT has solved my lice problem. I think the Chinese POWs will thank the Yanks for ridding their body lice.

The Chinese are poorly armed. Most of them carry old Japanese or Russian 'Type R' rifles - both rifles WW1 bolt-action types. The only thing they are good for are bayonet banzai. They also carry American submachine guns and mortars confiscated from Chiang Kai Sek - courtesy of Uncle Sam. As a matter of fact, about three quarters of the Chinese used to be in Chiang's army.

The Chinese soldier carries everything he needs on his person. His ration consists of powdered rice mixed with whatever staple he can get hold of. The powder is mixed with water and consumed while marching or resting. His ration is carried in a cloth roll pack which has pockets for daily portions. He gets dried fish to chew on now and then.

The daily routine of a Chinese soldier is as follows: By daylight, he digs a fox hole for himself and eats his breakfast. During the day he hides in a fox hole motionless - only a scouting party moves around looking for enemies and the next camp site. At sunset, he packs his gear and starts his nightly march until daylight next day. He can cover as much as 18 miles a day on frozen mountain paths.

From the chapter on Home by christmas: DDT wasn't so bad after all.

[3k9pm]

I wonder what his reflections would look like if he had not escaped to South Korea.

I suspect it would consist mostly of being hungry.

[Quix]

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